Chewing gum could be a hidden source of plastic ingestion, releasing thousands of microplastic fragments directly into the mouth with every chew, researchers have found.
A new study, presented at the American Chemical Society meeting in San Diego, revealed that a single gram of gum can shed an average of 100 microplastic fragments, with some brands releasing more than 600. Considering that an average stick of gum weighs 1.5 grams, frequent chewers could unknowingly consume tens of thousands of microplastics annually.
“We’re not trying to alarm people, but it’s important to understand another way these particles enter our bodies,” said Sanjay Mohanty, the study’s lead researcher from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Microplastics—tiny plastic particles less than five millimetres in size—have been found everywhere, from the deep ocean to the air we breathe. Scientists have also detected them inside human lungs, blood, and even the brain, raising concerns about their potential impact on health. However, Mohanty emphasised that no direct evidence currently links microplastics to harmful effects on human health.
Chewing gum is widely sold in two forms: synthetic gum, made with petroleum-based polymers, and natural gum, which uses plant-based materials such as tree sap. However, packaging typically does not disclose plastic content, listing only “gum-based” as an ingredient.
To examine how much plastic is released through chewing, Lisa Lowe, a UCLA PhD student, chewed seven pieces each from 10 different gum brands. Chemical analysis of her saliva showed that both synthetic and natural gums shed microplastics, most of which were released within the first eight minutes of chewing.
David Jones, a researcher at the UK’s University of Portsmouth who was not involved in the study, said the findings were expected and argued that manufacturers should be required to provide clearer ingredient labels.
“People tend to freak out when they realise chewing gum contains the same kinds of plastic found in car tyres, plastic bags, and bottles,” Jones said.
Beyond ingestion, researchers also raised concerns about plastic pollution from discarded gum, particularly when spat onto sidewalks.
The study has been submitted for peer review but has not yet been published. Meanwhile, Wrigley, the world’s largest chewing gum manufacturer, did not respond to requests for comment.
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